The present invention relates to an electrical connector system of a female-male coupling type which is adapted to be used in a switch-board or transmission equipment, and more particularly to a metric connector system which is adapted to be used for signal lines arranged in rows and lines and needing to be electromagnetically shielded from one another and is provided with sufficient countermeasures against external stress load such as vibrations.
Conventionally, connectors for use in switch-board or transmission equipment, for example, connectors which enable a high-density connection by reducing the interval (pitch) between a plurality of contacts, have been proposed to meet demands for high-density signal lines. For example, disclosed in a magazine called the xe2x80x9cComputer Designxe2x80x9d (FIG. 8 on page 55, issued in July, 1991, by Denpa Shimbun-Sha (Electric Wave Newspaper Inc.) is a female connector comprising a plurality of contacts arranged at 2 mm pitches in a square lattice-like fashion which is based on the P1301.1 standard of IEEE Standards and the IS-64 standard of EIA Standards. This female connector is, for example, a connector of a type allowing a plurality of such female connectors to be disposed adjacent to one another at desired positions relative to a number of male-type contacts arranged at identical pitches on a board so that female-type contacts are connected to the male-type contacts without any waste of time.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-162884 discloses a connector system having female connectors intended to be disposed adjacently as described in the aforesaid magazine. The connector of the connector system disclosed therein comprises contacts arranged in a square lattice-like fashion for connection with an electric cable. Similarly, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-189150 also discloses a connector system in which female connectors are disposed adjacent to one another and the female connectors each comprise contacts arranged in a square lattice-like fashion. The connector system disclosed therein comprises a metal shell for electromagnetic shielding.
In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-83867 also discloses a connector system having a female connector intended to be disposed adjacently. The connector system disclosed therein comprises a female connector and a male connector, which are constructed so as to be releasably fixed to each other with a latch means. Moreover, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 7-320816 also discloses a connector system having female connectors intended to be disposed adjacent each other. The outermost profile of the connector of the connector system disclosed therein has an irregular shape, not a square shape.
The aforesaid conventional connector systems comprising signal lines arranged in rows and lines in a square lattice-like fashion has the following problems. Any of the aforesaid connector systems does not satisfy both the electromagnetic shielding countermeasures and the releasable fixation of the connectors when they are coupled together. In the above connector systems, in a case where while taking the electromagnetic shielding countermeasures, the connectors are tried to be releasably fixed to each other, the size of the outermost circumference of the connector system unexpectedly becomes large.
In addition, in the above connector system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 7-320816, since the outermost profile of the connector is an irregular shape, although it can be arranged in one direction, the connector system cannot be arranged in rows and lines in a square lattice-like fashion. In other words, the installing density is relatively low.
The present invention was made in view of these problems, and an object thereof is to provide a connector system in which a grounding mechanism between female and male connectors and a latch mechanism for fixing female and male connectors to each other are housed within the outermost profile of the connector system.
In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a connector system which has superior electromagnetic shielding properties and coupling fixation properties between female and male connectors.
Moreover, a further object of the present invention is to provide a connector system in which contacts in one of the connectors are arranged in rows and lines in a square lattice-like fashion and in which even in a case where the connectors are arranged in rows and lines, the contacts are, as a whole, arranged in the square lattice-like fashion.
With a view to attaining the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a connector system having contacts arranged in rows and lines, wherein the system is constituted by a board-side connector adapted to be connected to a printed board and a harness connector adapted to be connected to an electric cable, and comprising latch means for releasably fixing the board-side connector and the harness connector to each other, the latch means being installed within the outermost profile of both the connectors. Consequently, both the connectors are releasably fixed to each other with the latch means installed within the outermost profile formed by the board-side connector and the harness connector.
According to the prevent invention, there is also provided a connector system, wherein each of the connectors respectively comprises a set of complementary shield shells.
According to the present invention, furthermore, there is provided a connector system, wherein the harness connector is constituted by assembling sequentially from an interior side to an exterior side thereof a first insulated resin molding into which the contacts are inserted, a second insulated resin molding on which a latch arm of the latch means is mounted, a cable-side metal shell for electromagnetic shielding and a third insulated resin molding for protection against static electricity.
Moreover, according to the present invention, there is provided a connector system, wherein the board-side connector is of a module type and has a board-side metal shell which has a pin or pins for grounding the printed board on at least one of outer sides of the board-side connector.
In addition, according to the present invention, there is provided a connector system, wherein the cable-side metal shell and the board-side metal shell each comprises a complementary contacting structure and these complementary contacting structures are brought into contact with each other when the harness connector is connected to the board-side connector.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a connector system, wherein the board-side connector is of a modular type and has a shielding plate, the cable-side metal shell has a spring-type connecting structure, and the contacting structure is adapted to be brought into contact with the plate when the harness connector is connected to the board-side connector.
Moreover, according to the present invention, there is provided a connector system, wherein the latch means is of an inner-latch type adapted to operate only within the outermost profile of both connectors.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a connector system, wherein the system comprises polarized keys for preventing an erroneous connection between the harness connector and the board-side connector.